AppsFlyer has ranked the mobile media sources advertisers rely on since 2015. For the fourth consecutive year, Smadex is on that list.

The 2026 edition places us #4 in Gaming (Overall) in North America and #6 in Non-Gaming (Overall) in Western Europe, both on iOS. It covers 27.2B paid installs across 25,000 apps, with 57 media sources qualifying.

“Four consecutive years in the AppsFlyer Performance Index is recognition we’re proud to have earned. Our rankings in North American gaming and Western European non-gaming reflect the trust advertisers place in Smadex. We’re also seeing that momentum extend to connected TV (CTV), where growth is accelerating. Our mobile heritage and deep CTV experience are helping advertisers reach new audiences and deliver strong results that complement their mobile campaigns.”

Phil Gontier, Chief Revenue Officer

What Changed in This Year’s Index

AppsFlyer replaced retention with quarter-over-quarter change in ad spend as its quality signal. A ranking now answers a more direct question: are advertisers increasing what they spend with this partner?

That is a harder test than volume alone. It rewards media sources that keep earning budget after the first campaign. Four consecutive years, as measured this year by whether advertisers keep increasing spend with us, is a leadership result rather than a participation one.

The 2026 Results

Two placements, both on iOS, in the markets where app growth is most contested.

What it Means for Advertisers

Rankings are only useful if they help you choose a partner. A spend-led signal shows which sources peers are scaling rather than testing. In the 2026 edition, 9 of the top 10 media sources posted a year-over-year increase in ad spend, and 17 of the top 20 did the same.

The two placements sit where that pressure is sharpest. North America gaming is where game advertisers concentrate spend on high-value players. Western Europe non-gaming is the region where non-gaming apps keep taking a larger share of advertiser budgets.

Why Four Years Matters

Four consecutive years reflects something more specific than reach. Advertisers in these markets are not only starting with Smadex. They are increasing what they spend.

Want help growing your app across mobile and CTV? Get started here.